1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an enclosure for compact disks. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved mounting hub structure within the enclosure which engages a centralized hole within a compact disk.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art storage container 10 preferably formed of a transparent, plastic material. The container 10 is formed of two main components, a base tray 50 and a cover 30.
The cover 30 includes two side walls 34 which extend perpendicularly from a top surface 32. From each side wall 34 one or more side tabs 36 protrude inwardly. The side tabs 36 are positioned a sufficient distance from the top surface 32 to allow for the insertion of a booklet or card 26 between the tabs 36 and the top surface 32. The booklet or card 26 may thus be viewed through the top surface 32 of the cover 30. The booklet or card 26 may be inserted, with its graphics side 28 facing the top surface 32, into the cover 30 from an open front end 44 of the cover 30 and slid under the tabs 36 until it rests against a rear ledge 42 of the cover 30. Small front tabs 46 protrude upwardly from a portion of the inside surface of the cover 30 adjacent its front end 44 of the cover 30 to keep the booklet or card 26 in place once it rests against the rear ledge 42.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional base tray 50 includes a disk seat 62 and a conventional mounting hub 54, which are formed integrally with a bottom surface 52 of the base tray 50 (preferably by molding). The mounting hub 54 includes a plurality of small gripping teeth 58 for radially engaging the centralized hole 14 of compact disk 12. The centralized hole 14 of the disk 12 is adapted to be mounted and secured to the conventional mounting hub 54 using an interference fit. As illustrated in FIG. 2, when the disk is mounted over conventional hub 54, gripping teeth 58 are deflected radially inward and resiliently engage centralized hole 14. When disk 12 is mounted on conventional hub 54, annular ridge 22 matingly engages ridge 20 on disk seat 62 to center disk 12 on hub 54.
Many manufacturing and product performance problems have been associated with conventional hub 54. Since conventional hub 54 includes at least twelve radial gripping teeth 58, the size of each tooth is extremely small and therefore difficult to mold. Intricate molds must be constructed for conventional hub 54 at considerable cost. Additionally, when the base tray 50 is injected molded, many defects are associated with the gripping teeth 58 due to the difficulty of filling the minute cavities within the mold which form the gripping fingers. Furthermore, since the gripping teeth are relatively small as compared to other structures within the container 10, cyclic stresses associated with repeated mounting and dismounting of the disk 12 from conventional hub 54 often causes the small conventional gripping teeth 58 to break off from the tray.